Every woman has them: ill-fitting, uncomfortable, or just plain unflattering bras that sit in the back of their drawer collecting lint. Instead of keeping those over-the-shoulder boulder holders mothballed, or worse, consigning them to the dumpster, consider “recycling” them to raise money for breast cancer research.

Only 120 diving and snorkeling permits are granted near Sipadan island ( located in the Celebes Sea, surrounded by Borneo, Indonesia, and the Philippines ) each day and lately some of those have been going to folks using an old oil rig's elevator to drop right into the perfect waters.

There's no doubt recycling is good, but in many cases, reusing is even better. One great idea is to keep cardboard boxes in use longer, reduce the impacts of shipping products, and encourage people to engage around the concept of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in a personal way.

Whether you're replacing your office windows or swapping out your office furniture for something new, always check to see if there is a charity that needs your stuff. Not only do you get the satisfaction of knowing it's not just rotting away in the dump and increasing the load on our overcrowded landfills; but it's going to help local charities repair homes, furnish non-profit offices, and other tasks.

If you’re on a budget but still love the look of modern design, IKEA is a popular place to find that affordable furniture fix. But could you imagine yourself going “vintage modern” by purchasing second-hand IKEA products? Just a few days ago IKEA launched a new program in Sweden that offers used IKEA pieces online, and they intend to extend this idea to other foreign outlets.

Fueled by the need for both economy and sustainability, deconstruction increasingly makes sense as a solution for old, vacant buildings. There are currently some 14 million vacant homes in the United States alone, containing materials valued at USD 75 billion; meanwhile, the market for green building materials is expected to exceed USD 31 billion in the U.S. by 2014.

In these tough economic times many people are looking for ways to shave expenses off their budgets. One tried-and-true method is to rent instead of buy. Environmentalists have long pointed out that we can also significantly reduce our impact on the planet if we borrow the things we only need occasionally.

Here's the truth about fashion: It changes quickly. So what do you do when you're stuck with a closet full of barely worn shirts, dresses and shoes? Over 190,000 tons of textiles made their way into Big Apple landfills in 2008 alone, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

More and more renting seems like an easier way to “go green” while cutting costs. While not everything should be rented, (toothbrushes, underwear, etc.) most things can be, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you can borrow just about anything without having to leave your home, or office, or coffee shop – basically anywhere you use your computer.

Creating new products from waste materials or used items has three distinct benefits for manufacturers: it gives them access to free or inexpensive materials, it lends their products an aura of sustainability, and it provides stories that sellers can share with the consumers. here are some examples of upcycling recently spotted: